How (bad) was

Did you receive any nengajo

-
(New Year cards)? Did you notice the
pictures of a dragon on them? This is the year of the dragon in the ju
-
nishi
Chinese zodiac, and nengajo
-
designs often include the zodiac sign of the
year. J apanese people sometimes try to determine your age by asking, nani
doshi desu ka (Whats your sign of the zodiac?), instead of directly asking,
How old are you? It is a tactful question used particularly by middle-aged
or older people.
Mr. Pole
I had dinner with friends after the New Year holiday,
and they started talking about their age. One of
them said, Im a dog. What are you, Mr. Pole? I
didnt know what she meant, so I just said, Im a
penguin. They told me J apanese people are
classified as different animals according to their year
of birth. Is that true?
D
e
s
ig
n
: M
a
s
a
k
o
B
a
n
With cooperation fromYasuhiro Koga
Hirayama :
Hirayama :
Mr. Pole :
Mr. Pole :
Mr. Pole :
This 12-year-cycle zodiac originated in China. The following list shows all the
signs in the correct order. Try working out what your sign is:
ju
-
nishi (The 12 signs of Chinese zodiac)
q...ne (rat) N...ushi (ox) ...tora (tiger) K...u (rabbit)
C...tatsu (dragon) ...mi (snake) ...uma (horse) ...hitsuji (sheep)
\ ...saru (monkey) ...tori (chicken) ...inu (dog) ...i (boar)
Year 2000 is tatsu. The next 12 years will therefore be:
2001 (mi) 2002 (uma) 2003 (hitsuji) 2004 (saru) 2005 (tori) 2006 (inu)
2007 (i) 2008 (ne) 2009 (ushi), 2010 (tora) 2011 (u) 2012 (tatsu)...
e.g., My zodiac sign is dragon. tatsu doshi desu
How was ?
Gr a mma r n o t e
B
wa do
-
deshita k a
Expressing an action that has gone too far:
@
masu
masu-form
e.g., I worried about it too much.
e.g., I visited a shrine, went to the movies and so onit was fun.
B
wa ik aga deshita k a
B
wa do
-
datta
Asking someone s thoughts
on their recent experiences:
your trip
ryok o
-
s
(polite form)
(friendly form)
(casual form)
@
ri
ta-form +
@
ri
ta-form +
_s f yB
jinja ni ittari e
-
ga o mitari tanoshik atta desu@
describe
your feelings
nisennen mondai
2000N

E
sugi desu

+
shimpai no shisugi deshita
Sz
B
shimaimashita@
te-form +
e.g.,
I B
owatteshimaimashita
(It is a shame that) it is over.
+
no shisugi desu

+
e.g., I ate too much.
tabesugimashita
HB sugimasu

or
1.
1.
2. 3.
4.
5.
5.
6.
2& 3.
4.
5.
6.
Citing more than one item:
-tari can be used when expressing your
impression of several things.
Have (has) done/ happened al r eady: This
expression is used to show regret for what has
happened or something you have done against your
Asking how a situation was: Use the friendly form of 1 . Note that it shows
your concern or sympathy for the person you are talking to.
@
o shimasu
masu-form
How was...? (asking the impression)
osho
-
gatsu wa

hisashiburi ni
New Year
How was your New Year holiday?
jinja ni
_
Well, I went to the shrine, watched movies (and so on).
hardly
in a moment holiday
atto yu
-
mani yasumi ga
vU
x@
t r o u b l e wa hotondo nak atta desu ne
@ 2000N @
watched
by the way
We worried about it too much!
There was almost no trouble at all.
guB
Mr. Pole and Ms. Hirayama are talking about New Year holidays.
so
-
ieba
visited
after a long time
too much worry about
How was...?
(asking about the situation)
have finished
(expressed with regret)
It was really good to relax with my family for once.
Its a shame the holidays ended so quickly.
By the way, how was the Y2K problem?
k otoshi no k e
-
k i wa
How is the economy going to be this year?
NiC
How bad...? (asking
about the situation,
in present tense)
leveling off
uunnn
Well, I guess it will level off.
`DDD@ DDDDDDB
this year
rat
(nezumi)
q

sociable
I
shak o
-
tek i
ne
ju
-
nishi
ox
(ushi)
N
sympathetic
v
omoiyari ga aru
ushi
tiger
(tora)

strong-willed
u
ishi ga tsuyoi tora
rabbit
(usagi)
K
gentle
a
onwa u
dragon
(tatsu)
C
generous

o
-
rak a tatsu
snake
(hebi)

ambitious
O
maemuk i mi
horse
(uma)

open-minded
J I
k aiho
-
tek i uma
sheep
(hitsuji)

patient
E
nintaizuyoi@ hitsuji
monkey
(saru)
\
positive
I
sek k yok u tek i saru
chicken
(tori)

organized
{
k ic ho
-
men tori
dog
(inu)

thoughtful
v[
shiryobuk ai inu
boar
(inoshishi)

strong-willed
u
ishi ga tsuyoi
i
12 signs
of the Chinese
zodiac
The ju
-
nishi signs are believed to reflect the personalities of
their holders. At one time they represented 12 directions on a
compass and every two hours of the day starting at midnight
with ne. For example, ushi no koku is 2 a.m. You may have
seen the old time system referred to in samurai films.
flexible
@
rink i o
-
hen
cautious
Td
shinc ho
-
accommodating
bD
sewazuk i@
progressive
iI
shimpo tek i
studious

benk yo
-
-k a
passionate
MI
jo
-
netsu tek i
active
sI
k o
-
do
-
tek i@
serious
^
majime
cheerful

ak arui
gentle

onk o
-
honest

sho
-
jik i
kind
e
shinsetsu
er

t er eb i o
B
k azok u to nonbirishimashita
with family felt at ease
wa
did not exist
yok obai tabun desu ne
B
wa do
-
deshita ka
nisennen mondai
Y2K problem
the Y2K problem?
2
0
0
0
n
e
n ak
e
m
a s
h
i
t
e

o
m
e
d
e
to
-
go
z
a
i
m
a
s
u
5-minute J apanese Class by Hitomi Hirayama
Vo l . 15
Copyright 1999 The Yomiuri Shimbun